1. Romanticism

2. sprang up around the end of the 18 th century and flourished at the beginning of the 19th century Literary movement that reacted against the Enlightenment period that came before. Enlightenment thinkers asserted the world of nature is rationally ordered and human reason can analyze, understand, and use it. Romantics look on nature not as a world or object to be manipulated, but as something to be experienced.

3. celebrates nature rather than the ideals of the church. Some Romantics still celebrate the notion of God, but it is a god that is seen in the beauty of Nature. Other Romantics reject the notion of God altogether. Imagination, creativity, passion, and emotion are more important than rational thought and reason. writers wrote about experiences that affect the individual rather than issues that concern society. Individual pleasure is what is important.

4. May have a positive outlook on the potential of man or in the case of Gothic works a negative outlook. provides an image of an ideal world. Stories and poems are often set in the “long ago and far away.” fascination with the exotic and supernatural.

5. Major English Romantic Poets

6. William Blake 1757-1827

7. William Wordsworth 1770-1850

8. Samuel Coleridge 1772-1834

9. Percy Shelley 1792-1822

10. Lord Byron 1788-1824 Free from convention, morality, restraints; is a rebel Young, sinful, wanderer, isolated from society Self destructive mysterious, gloomy spirit, moody code of his own, will not betray a trust attractive fatal love Inspiration for the Byronic hero is Satan in John Milton’s epic poem, Paradise Lost The best known example is Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights Contemporary examples are the James Dean character in Rebel without a Cause and Batman Byronic hero

11. John Keats 1795-1821 Father died in 1804 Mother died of tuberculosis in 1810 Brother died of tuberculosis in 1818 In 1820 he began suffering from the effects of TB. His brother’s death, his own ill health, and his unrequited love for Fanny Brawne greatly influenced his poetry.

12. Romantic Meditative Ode Poet attempts to escape into an “ideal” world Includes a description of a natural scene The scene stimulates an extended meditation and speaker focuses on a private problem or a universal situation An insight, resolution, or decision is made, which returns the speaker back to reality with a new perspective.